


interlude

by MercuryPoisoning



Category: RWBY
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/F, Jaune is trying to be helpful, One Shot, Volume 8 (RWBY), Yang Xiao Long Angst, Yang has unresolved feelings, overt Bumbleby, takes place during that awkward moment with Team JYR
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-15 00:46:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29055354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MercuryPoisoning/pseuds/MercuryPoisoning
Summary: Ren's in a terrible mood, Jaune can't sleep, and Yang doesn't want to think too hard about anything.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long
Kudos: 50
Collections: bumbleby snapshots





	interlude

It's been some time since Ren slammed the door, and Yang is staring unfocused out the grimy window and listening Jaune breathe.  
  
Her head is swimmy with exhaustion, but she does her best to listen, to discern whether or not he's actually asleep. It's regular, his breath. Rise and fall. Rise and fall. But perhaps not regular enough. She checks on Ren; he's still a hunched shape in the near distance. His head is down. She can almost feel the uneven shudder of _his_ breath.  
  
Behind her, Jaune inhales a little too sharply. She turns and studies him. No, not asleep. She leans back against the table.  
  
"Can't sleep?" she asks softly.  
  
He cracks an eye. "Hmm, I wish I could. Too much on my mind. I wish I could conk out instantly, like some people."  
  
"Ruby," Yang supplies.  
  
"And Nora," he chuckles. "I wonder if those types ever have sleepless nights."  
  
"Ruby does," Yang says quietly. "But she can still fall asleep on command."  
  
He sighs, turns onto his back. "Ren back yet?"  
  
"No."  
  
A heavy silence falls over them. Yang picks up Ember Celica and goes back to polishing it, even though the job is long done.  
  
"Hey," Jaune pipes up after a while. "You weren't really talking about Ruby, were you."  
  
Yang feels her shoulders tense. She polishes with renewed vigour. "Not sure what you mean."  
  
"When you asked me if I thought she'd think less of you."  
  
Her hands slip, metal catching on metal, and Ember Celica clatters to the floor. Yang swears under her breath.  
  
"That's none of your business," she snaps harshly, feeling her eyes flare red. She stoops to retrieve her weapon, flinging it back onto the table with unnecessary force.  
  
"I'm sorry," Jaune whispers.  
  
Yang turns back to the window, already ashamed of her outburst. These days, her head's a mess. She can't seem to conjure up anything but anger. And exhaustion. Deep, bone-threading exhaustion.

And the anger is enough to keep fighting, but Yang doesn't know how long it'll last.  
  
"Sorry," she mutters at length, dragging the word up with effort.  
  
He doesn't respond. Yang wonders if he's fallen back asleep. She slides Ember Celica onto her wrists, feels the comforting embrace of cool metal, hears the thrum of latent power. The anger seeps from her like a receding tide.  
  
"You're right," she rasps. "I wasn't talking about Ruby. I'm sorry for yelling at you, Jaune. I need to get a grip."

"Hey," he says softly, and she hears him stand. "I understand. Don't sweat it."  
  
Yang turns to him then, and when she meets his gaze she tries to convey her gratitude silently. He looks like he wants to hug her. She strides to the door to escape it - because if anyone hugs her now, especially Jaune with his soft, sad eyes and his brave, squared shoulders, she'll fall apart.  
  
"Come on," she says brusquely. "We better go slap some sense into Ren."

**Author's Note:**

> RWBY moves very quickly these days, and I find there's a lot of silences/empty space in the storyline. This isn't a bad thing necessarily, but it makes me think about what else could be going on - so I've been writing a lot of short fanfiction. Stay tuned for more. :D


End file.
